Sheyenne River at Harwood water level

Name: Sheyenne River at Harwood water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Sheyenne River, North Dakota, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

68.79ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:15 AM CDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 353 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

Low water at Sheyenne River at Harwood: the gauge reads 68.79 ft, below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 70.40 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.60 ft below typical. It is 15.21 ft below the flood stage of 84.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 68.84 ft, a difference of −0.05 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 67.26 ft – 71.80 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 70.40 ft1.60 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 67.71 ft – 74.96 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year: 68.84 ft−0.05 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 67.26 ft – 71.80 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 67.26 ft – 76.31 ft
Highest on record: 92.02 ftApril 16, 1997

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 84.00 ft.

What happens at each level

93.50 ft: Rivertree subdivision is protected to this height by the dike at Rivertree Park.
91.80 ft: County Road 22 and Rivershore Drive is closed.
91.00 ft: MAJOR FLOOD. BNSF railroad line may need to be closed.
86.00 ft: MODERATE FLOOD.
84.00 ft: MINOR FLOOD. Actions taken to completely seal the flood barrier.
82.00 ft: ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
68.79 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	92.02 ft	April 16, 1997
2	91.82 ft	April 10, 2011
3	91.72 ft	March 29, 2009
4	91.56 ft	March 20, 2010
5	91.42 ft	April 3, 2006
6	91.29 ft	April 8, 2019
7	91.29 ft	April 10, 2001
8	90.59 ft	April 9, 2020
9	90.33 ft	June 24, 2000
10	90.32 ft	April 22, 2023

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 68° 42° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 64° 34° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 70° 46° – Wind 16 mph

21 Wed 67° 50° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 73° 49° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 71° 60° 0.18 in, 24% Wind 21 mph

24 Sat 66° 40° 0.10 in, 35% Wind 27 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 59%

Map

Other gauges on the Sheyenne River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sheyenne River above Devils Lake State Outlet near FloraRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	11.05 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	134 mi
Sheyenne River below Devils Lake State Outlet near BremenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	18.13 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	126 mi
Sheyenne River near WarwickRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	2.89 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	103 mi
Sheyenne River at Co Road 20 near KlotenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	30.77 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	76 mi
Sheyenne River near CooperstownRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	10.09 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	62 mi
Sheyenne River below Baldhill DamRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	24.44 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	56 mi
Sheyenne River at Valley CityRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	53 mi
Sheyenne River at Fort Ransom State ParkRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	17.63 ft	No reference yet	±0	58 mi
Sheyenne River at LisbonRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.22 ft	Low	±0	52 mi
Sheyenne River near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.68 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	24 mi
Sheyenne River above Sheyenne R Diversion near HoraceRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	14.33 ft	Normal	±0	16 mi
Sheyenne River at West FargoRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	6.63 ft	Low	+0.09 ft	6.0 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sheyenne River Diversion at West FargoRiver gauge, Sheyenne River Diversion	6.62 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	6.1 mi
Red River of The North near GeorgetownRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.11 ft	Very low	−0.07 ft	9 mi
Maple River below MapletonRiver gauge, Maple River	8.78 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	9 mi
Red River of The North at FargoRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.06 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Buffalo River near DilworthRiver gauge, Buffalo River	3.16 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Maple River near MapletonRiver gauge, Maple River	8.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	13 mi
Rush River at AmeniaRiver gauge, Rush River	9.27 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Wild Rice River near St BenedictRiver gauge, Wild Rice River	23.30 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	18 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Sheyenne River at Harwood higher than last year?

No, it is 0.05 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 68.84 ft.

What is flood stage for the Sheyenne River at Harwood?

The official flood stage is 84.00 ft. The level is currently 15.21 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Sheyenne River at Harwood in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 70.40 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 67.71 ft and 74.96 ft, based on 26 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Sheyenne River at Harwood today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:15 AM CDT, the water level was 68.79 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sheyenne River at Harwood rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.48 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sheyenne River at Harwood normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05060400 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.97750, -96.89139 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	68.79 ft	2026-10-19 13:15	Provisional
Flow	353 cfs	2026-10-19 13:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sheyenne River at Harwood (usgs:05060400). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/sheyenne-river-at-harwood

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer